Snow show

My sister Xena took me and our nieces, Becky and Jenny, to see Slava’s Snow Show, a theatrical evening of clowning around that ends with the audience in the middle of a blizzard of tissue paper bits. If that were not enough, she also gave me this glass penguin from the Museum of Modern Art that has its own snowstorm going on inside his round belly and some penguin gel stickers for my windows. That’s three excellent gifts from one great sister.

Museum of Modern Art hollow, frosty glass penguin with snowflakes inside

Acquired: December 2006

Number: 351           

Size: 5.75 inches tall 

Other side of the pillow

This cool stuffed penguin looks the same on both sides. It’s from my brother Drew’s family. I think my sister-in-law Sandy told me it was a craft kit.

Printed pillow

Acquired: 1980s, gift from Drew, Sandy, Becky and Jenny Parsons

Number: 072

Size: 6.75 inches tall

Where was my head?

I can't believe I forgot to post again yesterday. It was about 2 in the morning when I realized that I hadn't fulfilled my daily penguin obligation. This crafty felt penguin head should have reminded me to use my head. I believe my brother's family found it at a craft fair or church bazaar.

Felt penguin head

Acquired: Acquired: 1980s, gift from Drew, Sandy, Becky and Jenny Parsons

Number: 071

Size: 3 inches tall

A penguin in a pear tree?

I know, I know. No way this is a penguin. But someone brought it to the New York penguin tree party, and I was too impressed with the effort to not make an exception. Hey, at least it’s the right colors, sort of, and the right body shape. I can remember the moment I got this ornament and hear the guest apologizing, but I can’t remember who it was. I wish I could, because I really like having this one on the tree, penguin or not.

Knitted bird, probably a partridge, made in Peru

Acquired: 1980s

Number: 0070

Size: 4.5 inches long

Going to a party

These three gents are all dressed up in their velvet vests and enourmous red bow ties. I’m pretty sure one of them arrived the night of the New York penguin tree party.

Three stuffed felt penguins with red vests and big bow ties

Acquired: 1980s

Number: 067 068 069

Size: 4.75 inches tall

Good things come in threes

These three all came from different people and at least one of them probably arrived at the New York penguin tree party. I’m posting them now along with the other ornaments that I got that night. It’s easy to see why I wound up with so many of these: they are super cute.

Plush stuffed penguins with red ribbon bow ties

Acquired: 1980s

Number: 0064 0065 0066

Size: 4.25 inches tall

Paper penguins

Each year, when I unpack the ornaments, I’m always glad to see this one, because it makes me remember the friend who gave it me. It’s not really an ornament, but the cut off cover of a Christmas card with a hole punched in the corner for a string to hang it. “I couldn’t find an ornament,” Charles explained when he gave it to me at the New York penguin tree party. I knew it was from a Christmas card right away, because I send penguin cards every year and this was the card I sent one year. I was, and still am, impressed that he went to so much trouble to bring something to hang on the tree, even though I never even hinted that everyone should. Charles and I played a lot of bridge over the years. He introduced me to the competitive world of duplicate bridge, where I once earned a miniscule fraction of an international master point with him. Charles also took me on my first trip to Marie’s Crisis, a piano bar on Grove Street in New York City, where you can learn a thing or too about Broadway show tunes. It can be an intimidating place the first time ("how do they know all the words?"), but not so bad with a friend.

Paper Christmas card cover, gift from Charles MeEwen

Acquired: 1980s

Number: 0063